282 MANUllKJI.ATA. COLKOI'TKRA. 



Genus DXXVI. — Stenus, Latreille. 



Antennas slender, clavate, inserted between the eyes, two basal joints robust, 

 first elongated, the four following slender, the third being longest, two next 

 of nearly equal length, the fifth stoutest, clavate, remainder rather abruptly 

 larger, forming a kind of three-jointed club, the terminal joint being conic^ 

 acute. Palpi unequal ; maxillary very long, with the terminal joint 

 subclavate, truncate ; labial minute : labium very long, retractile : head 

 very large, subtrigonate : eyes very large, and prominent : thorax \m\\\a.T- 

 gined, elongate, subcylindric ; body oblong, subcylindric, punctate : abdomen 

 convex, inimarginate, or ntiargined, its apex not setiform : legs elongate, 

 slender; tibitB simple; taisi pentamerous, with the penultimate joint 

 slightly bilobed. 



The great bulk of the eyes in the Steni sufficiently point out a 

 prominent character of distinction from all the preceding genera of 

 this family, in which particular Dianoiis resembles them ; they, how- 

 ever, may be known from all by the prolongation of the labium, 

 •which possesses the faculty of being retractile ; the apex of the abdo- 

 men is not furnished, or at least very rarely so, with appendages as 

 is Dianoiis. The species chiefly inhabit damp places on the mar-r 

 gins of rivers, ponds, lakes, &c., especially in grassy and sandy 

 places. 



A. With the abdomen immarginate. 

 a. Legs pale, or varied, 



Sp. 1. oculatus. Ater, antennis longiusculis, palpis, pedibusque fulvis, his geni- 



culis nigris, abdomine cylindrico. (Long. corp. 2 lin.) 

 Ste. oculatus. Gravenhorst. — Steph. Catal. 288. No. 3101. 



Black, slightly shining, very much punctulated, slightly pubescent : head 

 triangular, with a somewhat depressed tubercle behind the eyes : thorax 

 cylindric, a little widest in front, the back convex, with the surface equal : 

 elytra convex, with the base unequal : abdomen cylindric : legs fulvous, 

 with the apex of ih.e ftmoi-a and base of the tibice black : antenna longish,ful-, 

 vous, with the basal joint black : palpi fulvous. 



Found commonly within the metropolitan district; also near 

 Dover, and in Suffolk and Norfolk. Devonshire, Bristol, &c. " Not 

 uncommon on Crwrnlyn-burrows." — L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. 



Sp. 2. scabrior. Aterrimus, punctis excavati.i scaber, antennis bast, palpis femo-> 



rihusque rujis. (Long. corp. 2^ I'n.) 

 Ste. scabrior. Kirby MSS.— Steph. Catal. 288. No. 3102. 



Very black, slightly shining and pubescent, very rough throughout, ivith dee^ 



